Fascinating aromas of iron, blood, and dark berries. Some flowers. Full-bodied yet fresh and intense with tar and pumice and plenty of red fruits. Chewy yet polished tannins buttress the wine nicely. Better in a couple of years. Try after 2025.
Every time I taste Idda rosso, my heart melts – there's something about this south-slope Nerello Mascalese (with a dash of Nerello Cappuccio) which evokes all the romance of not just Etna and it's smoking peaks, but also the autumnal mists of the Langhe (that'll be the Gaja connection) and even the venerable crus of the Côte d’Or. This 2021 is tightly knit and sapid, with a purity of fragrant cherry and wild strawberry, and an undercurrent of earth, iron and spices. It reveals flashes of herbs and spice around the edges and it remains beautifully fresh throughout. The fine tannins are chalky and grippy and need another year or two to relax, but all the volcano's energy is evident in this poised, balletic red. (Drink between 2024-2030)
